The Knights Templar Existed Officially For Less Than 200 Years. Founded To Protect Pilgrims Who Were Travelling Through The Holy Lands, Their Rise To Power Was Sudden. They Became Some Of The Most Feared Warriors In The Region, They Had A Mandate From God, They Controlled Perhaps The World's First Real Banking System, And They Waged War Against Anyone Who Tried To Wrestle Christianity's Holiest Grounds From The Control Of The Catholic Church. Within Their Short Lifespan, They Quickly Became One Of The Most Powerful Societies In Europe, If Not The World.